Midget car race game



Jan. 1, 1963 M. M. WlLLETT MIDGET CAR RACE GAME Filed April 17, 1961 (INVENTOR. MamkMmzle-fi.

fig 3,071,377

3,071,377 MIDGET CAR RACE GAME Mamie M. Willett, 868 E. Queen, Albany, Oreg. Filed Apr. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 103,485 1 Claim. (Cl. 27386) This invention relates generally to toys, and more specifically to a toy race track adapted for racing small spring operated cars.

Competition is always popular with children and in cases Where the competition is not a function of skill or strength children of various ages can enjoy such games simultaneously, since the youngest at least has a chance of winning the competition. Miniature car racing games have been marketed at various times over the years but all have suffered from one distinct disadvantage which spoils the fun of playing with the game. The disadvantage results in the fact that all the cars operate with different degrees of efiiciency, with the result that the children soon learn which is the faster car and discontent immediately arises as to who owns the car which always wins. I have set out to provide an invention involving a toy race track wherein the identification of the cars may be changed and concealed such that the players will not know until near the end of the race which car is going to win.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a miniature car racing game having spaced parallel tracks for guiding individual cars in an endless manner around an elongated looped track board.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a combination of spring operated miniature racing cars and a track wherein the identity of the cars may be concealed and wherein each track is of different length to confuse the owner of the car with regard to his true position during the course of the race.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a toy racing car game which is simple in construction, interesting and entertaining in operation, and durable in use.

A full understanding of the construction of this invention, together with further novel features and advantages, will be had from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the game showing the miniature racing cars aligned behind the starting gate prior to the start of the race.

FIG. 2 is a perspective fragmentary view shown partly in cross section and indicating the details of the mechanism for operating the starting gate.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the track board seen from above.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 5 represents a fiat base having downwardly extending parallel sides 6 which connect at each end with semi-circular ends 7. Projecting vertically from the sides 6 and ends 7 is a peripheral wall 8 which forms a guard rail 9 at the upper edge. Supported inwardly and centrally around the wall 8 is a race track platform 4. The base 5 and platform 4 have an elongated opening 40' disposed concentrically therethrough. The opening is surrounded by an inner wall 13 which extends upwardly to terminate with an inner guard rail 19 upstanding from the inwardly disposed edges of the platform.

Five pairs of equally spaced parallel grooves 10 are formed in the top of the platform 4, each describing a continuous looped track having spaced straight sections such as 11 connected at their ends with semi-circular sections 12. It will be quite apparent to the reader that each of the tracks is progressively shorter from the outer to the innermost track loop.

A starting gate 13 comprises two gate sections 14 and 15 each mounted at one end to vertical rods 16 and 17 which project through the track platform 4 adjacent the opposed guard rails 9 and 19 at one end of the straight sections 11. The sections have outwardly curved ends 20 and 21 which are adapted to roll into abutting engagement with each other when extended normally across the tracks. The guard rails are formed with outwardly projecting recesses 22 and 23 which receive the curved ends 20 and 21 when the gate sections are fully open and disposed adjacent the opposed guard rails.

Disposed centrally beneath the track and pivotally mounted to the base 5 is a camming disc 24 which is provided with diametrically opposed tabs 25 having vertical holes formed therethrough. The rods 16 and 17 are bent inwardly towards each other and extend parallel with the base at 26 and 2 7 to terminate with ends 28 and 29 extending downwardly into the vertical holes formed in the tabs. A lever arm 30 projects radially from the periphery of the disc 24 adjacent one of the tabs such that rotational movement of the arm about the pivot 31 will cause the vertical rods 16 and 17 to rotate in opposite directions for closing and opening the gates. An operating rod 32 pivotally connects with the end of the lever,

arm 39 and extends through the peripheral wall 8 to terminate with a handle 33 for external operation of the camming disc 24.

Small racing cars such as 34 have wheels 35 which freely locate in the parallel grooves 10. Each car is spring wound by a key 36 and has a slot 37 disposed in the top for the purpose of removably receiving a number such as 38. The cars are all the same color preferably black, and the numbers are the only means of identifying one from the other. Since these numerals are interchangeable, the fastest car will not be known. The cars are wound up by each player and are positioned in specific tracks so as to align behind the closed starting gates. The gates are opened and the race is on. Since the efliciency of each car will differ and the tracks are of varying length, the winner will not be discernable until the finish of the race approaches.

Having described the invention with considerable particularity, it should be understood that various modifications may be made to the detail thereof, without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

A toy racing car game comprising, in combination, a track platform having a plurality of spaced parallel pairs of grooves formed therein, each pair of said grooves providing tracks for guiding the wheels of racing cars, said grooves extending to form closed loops around the top of the platform, with at least one straight section, mechanically operated cars for running around said closed loop tracks, said cars having identical color and contour, identification numbers interchangeably mounted in a slot formed in the top of each said car, a starting gate for aligning the cars transversely of the track, said gate comprising tWo elongated gate sections pivotally mounted at their outer ends to said straight section of said platform outwardly of the closed loops, said gate sections in an open position extending parallel to said straight section and adapted to pivot inwardly toward each other into alignment with each other and to abut at their other ends when closed, and rods depending from the gate sections extending beneath the platform for selectively opening and closing said sections, said rods being pivotally Patented Jan. 1, 1963' mounted to diametrically opposite sides of a circular camming disc mounted centrally beneath the tracks, and an operating rod extending through one side of and beneath said platform to actuate said disc to rotate said gate sections between said open and closed positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lingenfelder Feb. 28, Coggon Feb. 3, Cook Nov. 7, Mohlenbrock Nov. 26, 

